Birding at Burra Gorge, South Australia
Galah, Burra Gorge, South Australia
Earlier this year we travelled to Clare to visit family. On the way we took a different route, one we hadn’t taken for many years. Along the way we stopped for a short break at Burra Gorge to have lunch. This ephemeral waterway drains through the hills to the south east of the mid-north town of Burra.
We were only there for about a half hour, so the birding opportunities were limited. It was a rather hot day and the bird activity was minimal. There is a pleasant camping area where I’d like to spend a few days sometime and explore along the gorge deeper into the range. On this occasion I only managed a short list of less than a dozen species. This area should produce some interesting birds if one was able to have an extended visit. This is because this gorge is in a zone between the high rainfall area of the Clare Valley to the west, and the much drier salt-bush country to the east.
The Galah featured in the photos on this post looked as if it was about to start nesting in one of the many tree hollows.
Galahs, Burra Gorge, South Australia
Burra Gorge, South Australia
Burra Gorge, South Australia
It was school holiday time and many people were bush camping in the picnic areas. There are no facilities here except for several public toilets. The nearest supplies are in Burra, some 30km to the north west.
A flying visit from a Budgerigar
No Comments »21st December, 2010; Category: Aviaries, Bird Behaviour, Garden birds, Parrots and Lorikeets
Budgerigar
I has been quite a while since my last post here, and I certainly haven’t posted much in recent months. I’ve been very busy completing my thesis paper for my Master of Arts (Creative Writing). That’s now done and dusted, printed and bound and sent off to the examiners. You can read all about the journey – and how I went about writing my children’s novel here.
The week before last I took a short break from my writing and sat outside with a refreshing coffee. I needed to clear my head from all that editing, proofreading and rewriting on my book. I’d only just sat down and a brilliant flash of green landed in a tree in our back garden, just a few metres from where I sat enjoying my cuppa.
A solitary Budgerigar parrot had come to visit. Over 26 years living in the same house, this was only the second time we’d had a wild budgie in our garden. They are far more common much further north than where we live. Sadly, it was but a flying visit. It gave a couple of hearty chirps and flew off. It hasn’t been back.
There is some chance that it could have been an escaped bird from someone’s aviary; this species is commonly kept as a pet. It’s behaviour suggested otherwise – it was very nervous and flew off quickly, even when I whistled to attract its attention. Still, a flying visit is better than no visit at all.
And it’s certainly better than missing it completely while stuck in front of my computer.
Good birding.
Further reading:
Parrots eating our flowers
3 Comments »9th October, 2010; Category: Bird Behaviour, Garden birds, Murray Bridge, Parrots and Lorikeets, Plants
Mallee Ringneck parrot
Mallee Ringneck parrots are common around my home town of Murray Bridge in South Australia. Almost everyday we have a small number visiting our garden. In fact, I would regard them as a resident species because there are very few days when we don’t see or hear them.
They have taken a liking to the beautiful Eremophila plant shown in the photos on this post. The nectar in the flowers must be delightful to them. Of course, after they have visited each bush there is a carpet of petals on the ground under the bush.
Mallee Ringneck parrot
Mallee Ringneck parrot
A galah having a bad feather day
Galah, Murray Bridge, South Australia
We had a typical winter’s day here in Murray Bridge South Australia today: cold, scudding showers and periods of rain and blustery winds. Late afternoon saw a lessening of the showers and the sun chose to emerge for a while. The wind was still quite strong in gusts.
I was on my way to photograph a Magpie Lark‘s nest (see tomorrow’s post here) when I saw this solitary Galah taking in the last of the sunshine of the day. Trouble was, the wind happened to catch his feathers just as I took the photo. Below is another shot taken seconds later. That’s better.
Galah, Murray Bridge, South Australia
Lunch time visitor: Eastern Rosella
Eastern Rosella in our garden
While we were having lunch today I noticed a beautiful Eastern Rosella feeding on some flowers in our garden. I wasn’t quick enough to get a new photograph, so I’ve used one I took some months ago.
This bird has been hanging out with our resident Ringneck Parrots. It is not a species normally found in this part of South Australia, so I am assuming it has escaped from someone’s aviary. It has been resident in our garden for most of the year. I much prefer it flying around than in an aviary anyway.